The MG TC Owners Club - Club Meeting 1187 Feb 2009, Graham M

Mindarie's Seville Crest (Steve's Pad), saw an influx of MG T &Y Types on a warm blustery night on 5^th February. The meeting got going a little late, but when you find that Pres. JB and Sec. CB (two South of the Riverites) travelled not only to Perth but then another ... km or so, uphill all the way, you can get an understanding of the strength of the Club and why it's getting stronger year by year from its humble beginnings on June 1^st some 47 years ago .

Apologies included Andrew R, Doug S, John L, Brian W, Ted S and Mr. TC (Tony C).

Meeting 1186 reported the passing of Arthur Collett, the EMR with 13 cars and 23 people, Peter Borham and his car, a better movie than usual at the drive- in night, around the Houses at Northam coming up on 5 April, Brian W. is seeking a volunteer for the Safety Fast Run etc.

Kimber Twilight Tour that was to be held on Saturday 8^th February will be held instead on Saturday 14^th

100th Meeting. Clive B-B said "he felt quite famous" after being told he had joined the 100 meetings club and was roundly applauded.

MG Car Club's Ron Fabrey advised of an event at the Superdome on 22 March. There is a $60 licence fee to take part.

Swap Meets are being held on 22 February by the Triumph Car Club and on the same day the Avon Valley Swap meet.

John L email of 5 February providing input to the Concessional Licence debate was held over until he is present. I t was sent to me,

The Committee Recommendations were explained by Darryl R. An explanation of the committee's deliberations and recommendations was outlined and were to be added to the compendium, as previously discussed if approved by members.

Darryl had emailed all members with the suggested changes and had received 10 requests for the full details. The Committee had taken into account suggestions by those that had commented including Wally B. Darryl went through each of the eighteen points that either required change or no change. Queries raised were answered or discussed.

Following all discussion, a motion was put that the amended Concessional Licencing rules as set out, be adopted and replace those in the Compendium.

Appreciation to Colin B was expressed by Harry P. for his dedication and professionalism over many years. Those words were supported with acclamation.

Darryl quoted story of his fathers Ford that missed inspection. Some months later he got a bill for full licence fees.

Safety Fast Run. Steve P. was asked by Brian W. to seek a volunteer to attend the next Safety Fast Run meeting. Said that the MG Gar Club were making a genuine effort to get other Clubs involved. Interest was expressed by David R and he was immediately appointed to undertake the task.

Crankshaft Breakage. Darryl was not the happiest of members after he headed home after the last meeting and had a need to call up Col. B. after midnight to arrange a tow job from Willetton to Col's Workshop. He explained that it had been 'running sweetly' and he wasn't 'wringing its neck' at the time. A new one has been ordered at a cost of $1500. It was a Y Type block ????? and was happy that it was not a piston job. Some talk about adding a 'harmonic balancer.

Peter P. Asked if others had experienced leading brake shoe wearing quicker than the rear. no one seemed to know of it.

Concours Advice. Mike S. put forward his advice on Concours Preparation, Judging and Presentation and his views are included as an attachment to the Newsletter. Thanks were extended to Mike and several questions were answered about crank handles, tools, side curtains, hoods up etc.

The Concours will be a picnic/social day near the University -same location as last year - near the river and under the trees - and the gate will be opened at 10.30am. Gerry Latham, a TC owner from Melbourne is returning to assist with the judging, having enjoyed the experience so much last year. Please turn up and enjoy the fun, join a judging team even if you don't want your car judged.

Jean Kimber Cooke is now in a rest home in Taunton since last November. Suffering dementia

Life's a TC or Y Type. Graham M. Offered to collect the stories for the book. Pres JB made another promise but the other faces went into neutral or reverse. It's not a big deal but worth pursuing so we get to know each other.

Rob Bodkin featured on the front page of the Fremantle Herald with a group of indiginous arseholes pulling down his wall.

Very brief history: In 1961 when this Club began we were just a bunch of youths having the maximum fun with our cars. Most TCs then were more altered in concept and appearance than modified in the performance sense. Money was tight so the poor old cars suffered from the two edged sword of being both neglected and thrashed.

When Terry Williams presented us with his Concour d’Elegance in 1963, it put in train a new direction and dimension to mucking about with our cars. And so a whole new era of the TC Owners Club began, an era of discovery of how our cars once were. It was a tricky path with few signposts, but little by little we pieced the whole thing together ‘till we knew more about MGTCs than anyone else. In the meantime we set about rescuing our cars from their wayward and neglected path. Concours was the vehicle and the inspiration and a week’s preparation followed by a full weekend event was par for the course.

We’ve moved on from those heady days. All the answers have been found except for a few minutiae. Concours today is a pleasant afternoon get-together with a peer judging system, probably more of a true Concour d’Elegance than our previous intense Concour d’Tat – a contest of Originality, where the judge’s knowledge was critical. It still serves our Club well though, as some of this knowledge is being fed back into the members via the shared judging system. So do yourself a favour and participate in said judging.

Now I’m not suggesting we spend weeks preparing our cars though some might, but something needs to be said about the Presentation, bearing in mind our Club was once the benchmark for this sort of activity.

So if you are presenting your car for judging, please ensure you have all the car with you: Hood, side-screens, tonneau, crank handle, tool kit, manual. You don’t have to have all your knock-ons horizontal, right way up, but do remove your coats, bags and other paraphernalia from the car. Present the car with hood and side-screens erected. These can be removed and replaced with the half tonneau after Weather equipment and Interiors have been judged. It is a contestant device, not a requirement to spread the tool kit on the ground in front of the car.

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like an older version of who I am), but I don't agonise over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly.(I just might consider trading something for a six pack) As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. Suppose I had to.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra pistachio, for not vacuuming as often as I should, or for buying that silly dolphin or polar bear at the garage sale that I didn't need, but looks so wonderful in my display case. I am entitled to a treat, to trade the TD for an RX8, mistake or not. I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to work, read or play on the computer until 3am and sleep until noon? (not often) I will sing with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 40's, 50's and 60's, and if at the same time, wish to weep over lost moments ... I will. I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the other Polar Bears.

They, too, will get old – in fact most of them are but are living life to the full with their am swim.

Sure, over the years my heart has been touched and I've shed tears. How can your heart not be touched when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But touched hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never touched is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect or the saddness and horror. I remember sobbing on JFK's death.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs forever etched into grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver like mine.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong and question others.

So, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

ENJOY OLD AGE AND KEEP FRIENDS FOREVER